Mert Girmalegesse Explained

Mert Girmalegesse
Birth Name:Shimelis Girma
Sport:Long distance
Birth Date:30 November 1987
Birth Place:Ethiopia
Pb:

4:00:58 (2008)

13:26:14 NR (2008)

27:29:31 NR (2008)

Mert Girmalegesse, formerly Shimelis Girma (Amharic), then Selim Bayrak (Turkish),[1] (born November 30, 1987) is an Ethiopian born Turkish middle and long distance track and field athlete, running in the disciplines of 3000 m, 5000 m and also 10000 m.

Personal life

Born and raised in Ethiopia, he transferred to Turkey for an amount of US$1 million. On May 15, 2008, he received Turkish citizenship and changed his name to Selim Bayrak. Two years later, he took the name Mert and changed his surname to Gırmalegese, his family's name in Ethiopia. For the reason of the repeated name change he stated that he wants to safeguard interests in his country of origin.[2]

Sports career

In 2008, he won the 5000 m at the 2008 European Cup First League group B competitions in Istanbul. In the same year he was third at the European Cross Country Championships in his own age category of men under 23 years (U23).

He finished eleventh in the 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with 27:29.33 and did not start in the 5000 m qualification heat 3.

In 2009, he won the 10000 m at the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships in Kaunas and also won bronze in the 10000 m at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara.

At the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships he competed in 3000 m and finished fifth in Torino.

He is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K. athletics club.[3]

Personal bests

Discipline Performance Place Date
1 mile4:00:58Istanbul, TurkeyJune 7, 2008
3000 m7:45:46 NRTorino, ItalyMarch 7, 2009
5000 m13:26:14 NRIzmir, TurkeyJune 4, 2008
10000 m27:29:31NRBeijing, ChinaAugust 17, 2008

Performance progression

Discipline Season Performance Place Date
1 mile20084:00:58Istanbul, TurkeyJune 7, 2008
3000 m20097:45:46Torino, ItalyMarch 7, 2009
5000 m200813:26:14Izmir, TurkeyJune 4, 2008
5000 m200913:55:61Bursa, TurkeyJune 9, 2009
8000 m200825:17Brussels, BelgiumDecember 14, 2008
10000 m200827:45:75Istanbul, TurkeyApril 12, 2008
10000 m200827:29:31Beijing, ChinaAugust 17, 2008
10000 m200929:36:29Pescara, ItalyJuly 2, 2009
10000 m200929:47:15Kaunas, LithuaniaJuly 19, 2009

Notes and References

  1. http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/haber.aspx?id=9092340&yazarid=249 Naturalized Turkish Sportspeople
  2. News: Bayrak'ı beğenmedi . . 2010-06-09 . Turkish .
  3. http://www.ntvspor.net/Pages/23983.ASP Selim signed for Fenerbahce
  4. http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=tur/athcode=241132/index.html Personal best from iaaf.org
  5. http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=tur/athcode=241132/index.html Personal progression from iaaf.org